1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC carrier used for carrying an IC package so as to be transferred, stored or connected to an IC socket or the like.
2. Prior Art
A conventional IC carrier as represented by the one disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,974 is designed such that an engagement claw is brought into engagement with an upper edge of an IC package body received in an IC receiving portion, and a plurality of leads projecting sideward of the IC package are arranged to extend into corresponding slots formed in an upper surface of a carrier, and slot partition walls are disposed between adjacent leads.
However, this conventional IC carrier has the shortcoming that, if the lead pitches are comparatively large, the leads can easily be inserted into the corresponding slots, but if the lead pitches are very small, there is a possibility that the leads will climb over the slot partition walls and become deformed. Thus, this IC carrier is not suitable for the IC packages used in recent year in which the leads are arranged at very small pitches.